He's been in hot fighting three times already, but so far unscathed.

But oh, how old he looks, and so severe and grim and muddy! He says he is the worst-scared man in the whole Army, bar none.

He thought at first he would get over his fright, but each time he goes in he hates worse and worse to be shot at, and will positively never come to like it.

He says the only way he can get over being frightened is to go on until he becomes very, very angry, and then he can forget it for a time.

You can tell by his face that it would be easy to anger him.
"'But do not think he is cowardly, even if habitually frightened, because I also talked with his captain, who is an outspoken man, and he tells me that Wilbur is a regular fighting so-and-so.